Look to the Force you will find me there
by jesphoenix05
Summary: What if Palpatine won...but Padme didn't die...How would that play out? What if Anakin lived, Palpatine won but Anakin did not fall to the dark side? What if...that's what this story is about. What other paths would they take if all other factors remain the same? Takes place post revenge of the Sith
1. Chapter 1

Doing this for fun...nothing more. I simply am asking myself...what if?

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Padme deserved better…

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Padme sat next to the stasis pod in her apartments on Coruscant trying to reconcile what had just happened. The Jedi temple was on fire. To thunderous applause Chancellor Palpatine had just become Emperor Palpatine. Just before he called the emergency session he had sent Mas Amedda with the pod to her apartment bearing the dead body of her beloved Anakin. The official story was that he had given his life to protect the chancellor from a traitorous assassination attempt by the Jedi. Palpatine had pronounced him a hero, the first hero of the new and glorious Galactic Empire. But she knew that was a lie…

'You killed him!' she raged to herself alone in her apartment thinking murderous thoughts of Palpatine. Stroking her pregnant belly she understood now Anakin's vision. Their baby was in mortal peril now. Her beautiful and powerful husband… was gone! She had to be careful now. She needed to protect her baby! Anakin was not the boy of the Chosen One prophecy but now there was every chance her baby was, if she was right then her baby was next on Palpatine's murderous agenda.

Captain Typho interrupted her thoughts softly announcing the arrival of a visitor. She didn't want to see anyone but when she turned to let the captain know that, her heart leapt with relief. Obi-Wan stood next to him, a very tired and sad look on his face. She let her grief out then in quiet tears streaming down her face. Obi-Wan hurried towards her but came to a sudden stop as he caught sight of the stasis pod.

"Anakin! Anakin no!" he cried hurrying to the side of the capsule and collapsing on the floor next to the pod. Through the transparent cover Anakin just looked like he was sleeping but the pods were used only to transport the dead. Obi-Wan draped his arms around the floating pod and wept disconsolately.

"I failed you Anakin! I have failed you!" he wept in despair. Padme grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and pulled it hard to get his attention.

"Pull yourself together! We need your help Obi-Wan!" she commanded tears still flowing freely down her face. He looked up as Padme stood from the couch. He realized she was wearing one of Anakin's brown robes. She tossed it down to the ground and his eyes went wide. She stood there in a soft long light blue night gown. Her very pregnant belly was now easy for him to see.

"Anakin is the father…I am so sorry Padme," he said softly.

"We have no time for sorrows! My baby is in danger Obi-Wan! You are my only hope!" she retorted despair and anger battling in her tone and her pretty face. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're right! Palpatine is the Sith lord we've been looking for. If Anakin isn't the chosen one then there is a good chance your baby is. We have to get you to safety," he added getting to his feet slowly, feeling suddenly like he was 1000 years old.

"I have a plan. It's risky but it can work. I will need your help. Are you with me Obi-Wan?" she asked, her arms wrapped protectively around her belly as her baby stretched and shifted inside. Sometimes it felt like her baby had four arms and four legs with how active he was.

"I am with you Padme," he asserted. He looked down at the face in the stasis pod.

"Whatever you need…" he added determined not to fail anymore…

_A couple days later in the infirmary of an abandoned mining station…_

Pain was somehow comforting to Padme right now. This pain meant life! Her baby had come but she was not alone. Padme had been carrying twins all along. She barely managed a groan of pain as she pushed once more. The med droid pronounced finally the birth of her son. She wept with joy and grief. Anakin was not here to hold their son or their daughter. Obi-Wan smiled sadly with tiny Luke bundled in his arms as the med droid put Leia in hers.

As the med droid moved away to begin sterilizing the infirmary, Bail Organa came forward to help Padme. Padme had made her plans with Sabe and her old friend Bail. She handed little Leia carefully to her friend Bail and watched him hold Leia smiling tenderly at the tiny baby in his arms. This made the next part of her plan a little easier.

"Bail, my old friend… I need another favor of you and it's a big one," Padme began tiredly.

"Rest my friend. There is time enough for that…"

"No! No time! We must act quickly!" Padme countered pushing herself up to a sitting position. She took a deep breath stealing herself for the next words. Words born of desperation and love for her children…true selfless love… Obi-Wan's arm came up behind her helping her steady herself. He gave her a resolute nod, letting her know he was with her.

"Listen, I want you and Breha to take Leia and raise her as your own, please…you're the best hope she has to live safely and anonymous," Padme pleaded desperately. Bail's eyes went wide and a tear escaped him. He looked down at the tiny human that would now fulfill his and Breha's dream of being parents.

"That's not a favor you ask but I great gift I can never thank you enough for," said Bail tears of joy on his face. "Leia will be loved with us," he assured her with all the strength of character Padme had known him for. Padme stroked little Leia's face and smiled sadly, tears running freely down her face.

"Goodbye my little princess. Your mama loves you," she began "Go now Bail! As fast as you can! Take her to Alderaan and keep her safe!" Overcome with emotion Bail hugged Padme promising her to love Leia with all of his heart and protect her with everything he had. It was all Padme could hope for.

"Master Kenobi, Master Yoda…no matter what happens or what you see please remember I am your friend," Bail assured him. On his way out he stopped in front of Sabe – who was standing strong and determined as ever – watching by the door. A tear rolled down her face as Bail stopped so her stalwart bodyguard could say goodbye to Leia. Sabe smiled sadly and held Leia's tiny hand for a moment then released her. Her face set hard with determination again. She gave Senator Organa a determined nod.

"Bail take R2! Take R2 and Threepio!" Padme called out. R2 beep a vehement objection.

"Please R2, look out for Leia and Bail for me will you? Please?" Padme asked looking at her and Anakin's little faithful companion. R2 made a sad beep but moved away towards Bail Organa. Threepio looked from Padme to Bail confused. Padme gave him a sad look.

"I'm sorry Threepio, go with R2," she began sadly then turned to Bail with conviction renewed and gave him only a nod. He knew what would need to be done. The little astromech R2-D2 would be an asset to Bail in the fight to come but Threepio would be a liability to Padme. His memory would need to be wiped and Threepio could simply blend in with Bail's many other protocol droids. There were at least a dozen other droids just like Threepio on Bail's flagship alone to say nothing of R2 units! Looking confused the golden droid said his goodbye sadly and shuffled away with Bail Organa unknowing of the fate that awaited him.

Padme held her tears in check once more. Her job wasn't done yet. Sabe moved in quick to help her queen to her feet. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda moved with little Luke outside of the infirmary to wait while Sabe helped Padme get dressed. Padme had been right about the plan being risky. Sabe had lured a separatist attack force to Padme's ship. The ships attacked Padme. Having Obi-Wan on board her ship meant they made short work of the separatists.

Padme got away but the plan had cost brave Capt. Typho's life. His body now lay next to Anakin's. The next part was critical. The med droid had been instructed not to treat her injuries and to induce labor only. Sabe had gathered some of the blood expelled from her body during delivery and made it look as if she gave birth on the ship.

She had also altered the logs to ensure it did not look like they ever came near her children's true birth place, she made it look as if her ship never landed anywhere other than the enemy ship that briefly took them hostage. Padme had suffered several burns and a couple of broken bones. Obi-Wan had treated the wounds with her med kit on her ship as best he could on their way here where they would rendezvous with her friend Bail. This part of the ruse was critical; she needed to arrive on Naboo injured and with dead bodies in tow.

With Sabe's help she finally got off her bed and got dressed. First they turned off the old med droid once it finished cleaning, wiped its memory and then limped out to Obi-Wan and Yoda. Both Masters waited patiently as Luke slept peacefully in Obi-Wan's arms. Padme let go of Sabe and limped towards Obi-Wan. She smiled at her baby but as Obi-Wan offered Luke back she shook her head.

"No Obi-Wan…you know what you have to do. You have to keep Luke safe! No matter what!" she ordered sounding every bit the Queen she had once been on Naboo.

"Padme no! You're baby needs you! I can protect you!"

"Stop! I have to make it back to Naboo or Luke and Leia will never be safe! You know that!" Padme commanded.

"Wise you are…and brave," said Master Yoda, a sad look on his ancient face.

"We are brave your highness!" Sabe reiterated and her conviction was infectious, Padme felt some of her strength returned to her. Sabe stepped in and explained the next part of the plan. Two small ships waited outside for them one of them was the small ship Master Yoda had used to escape from the Wookie home world during order 66. The other was a small very old freighter. It would not get the two Masters and their tiny charge far but there were a number of places where they could sell the ship discreetly and book passage elsewhere.

"We can't know where you are going. That is essential for Luke's safety," Sabe concluded.

"Take me to my final destination, this ship will," Master Yoda said looking at the tiny ship he had used to escape Kashyyk. Sabe exchanged a worried look with Padme.

"Into exile, I will go. In a different direction Obi-Wan and Luke must head. Brave and strong you must continue to be Padme and Sabe. Long and difficult, is your road," Yoda added solemnly to both women.

"Master Yoda, please understand that unless you land on a spaceport you will be stranded! You won't even be able to send out for help in that tiny thing," Sabe argued. Yoda smiled sadly at her.

"Wait I will, until needed again I am, that is my destiny. Find me Luke will, when he is ready for training," he concluded very solemnly. With great effort Padme ignored the pain in her body as she bent down.

"Master…" she began unable to find words to comfort the tiny ancient teacher. He looked sadly at her and as he put his tiny arms around her she felt her pain ease considerably.

"Darkest is the night before the sun rises, joy you will find again, of this I am sure," he said softly in her ear and some of her pain ebbed. She wondered if he was using the Force somehow to help her with the pain.

"Thank you," she whispered back and with Sabe's strong and steady hand she rose once more. Obi-Wan looked at her with despair. Padme summoned every ounce of confidence she had.

"Obi-Wan, Anakin loved you like a father! He was afraid of disappointing you and that was really why he never said anything to you about us. Please forgive him for that," these were things she knew could not be left unsaid. She handed Obi-Wan Anakin's lightsaber, with a tear running down his face Obi-Wan reluctantly took it.

"Padme I always knew. I knew all along. But I preferred to be blind. I was blind to so many things and Palpatine took advantage of us all for it," he said guilt and despair on his face.

"I'm not angry at him. How can I be? I failed him because I was blind…"

"Blind we all were Obi-Wan," Yoda interjected solemnly.

"Learn from this we must and pass it on to Luke and the future generations or true failures we will be," he pronounced ominously. With a tear on his face Obi-Wan agreed. He hugged Padme once more and hurried to his vessel. He needed to get to Ord Mantel first and sell the ship, he had a solid untraceable plan and his eventual destination was the last place the Emperor would ever think to look for Anakin's son…

Master Yoda headed to his ship after watching Obi-Wan leave with his tiny charge. Only Yoda knew where Master Kenobi was going and he was certain Luke and Obi-Wan would be safe there. Sabe helped Padme limped to her ship and Yoda watched her get on their ship and depart. He stood for a moment on the platform searching the force to ensure their plans could not be tracked. Satisfied, he climbed on to his tiny ship and set course for Dagobah…

Sabe lowered her queen to the cot behind the pilot seat then hurried to the pilot seat. Padme finally allowed herself to succumb to grief and pain. The med droid was instructed not to help her. It was supposed to look like she gave birth on her tiny ship in distress. Capt. Typho's body was in a black bag next to Anakin's stasis pod and she was glad for that. Looking at two dead dear faces was more than she could bear.

Anakin looked peaceful as if in sleep. In the crook of his left arm was placed a tiny bundle. This part of the plan had been tough on both women. Sabe had gone in to the lowest levels of Coruscant. Her mission was to find a stillborn human boy. It wasn't difficult to find what she was looking for in the slums of Coruscant.

Sabe checked the free clinics first and found a dying woman in an alley behind a crowded clinic, still bleeding clutching her dead baby. Moved by the girl's tragic situation, Sabe had briefly abandoned her mission and tried to take the woman to a better hospital but the poor young woman died before she got there. So she took the girl to the morgue, gave her a name and paid for her cremation. Her ashes were being shipped hidden in Padme's regular luggage from Coruscant. She would be buried on Naboo with her son.

The tiny bundle in Anakin's pod was the mystery girl's dead baby who would pose as Padme's son during Anakin's funeral on Naboo. He was entered in the logs of the ship as having died of the injuries inflicted on his mother Padme. But looking at them in that coffin together now Padme wailed in grief and pain. Sinking in was the true realization that her babies were gone forever! She would never hold them; she would never hear their first words or watch them take their first steps. The pain in her broken body was nothing compared to that! She let grief overtake her and she screamed her rage and pain…

'My queen deserved better than this!' Sabe gritted her teeth against her grief and her rage! She wished there was some way she could shield her queen from this pain! That's what a bodyguard was supposed to do right? Protect their charge from harm! But all she could do was sit there and bear the burden of not being able to do a damn thing! Padme continued to scream in grief and rage until exhaustion finally claimed her and she fell into fitful sleep. Sabe got up then, pulled a blanket over her queen and returned to her seat. Only then did she allow herself to cry as their shipped limped towards Naboo…

Anakin was floating somewhere between death and sleep. Everything around him was dark and he couldn't feel his body. He felt so ashamed and angry at himself. How could he have trusted that vile treacherous snake? But trust he had and in doing so abandoned the people he should have been protecting. He realized now the trap of the dark side. Greed was the dark side's biggest pitfall. Now he was dead, his sweet angel Padme and their baby would soon join him. He understood the vision now; they would die because he wasn't there to protect them.

'It's too late…I failed,' he thought letting himself fall deeper into the darkness.

"_**Are you sure**_," said a deep compassionate voice in the darkness. A white light suddenly appeared behind him and with a bit of trouble Anakin turned towards it.

"Who's there?" he asked intrigued. The voice sounded so familiar!

"_**Are you sure you're not just too early? Maybe it's not time for you to be the chosen one. Maybe you have to wait for the right time**_,"

"Master Qui-Gon? Is that you?" he asked towards the distant white light struggling now to get closer to it, he heard a light chuckle.

"_**You were always in such a hurry to do everything. Patience is a Jedi's greatest virtue**_,"

"Master Qui-Gon I failed. Palpatine betrayed me, he used me! I'm such an idiot! And now I'm dead and I can't apologize to Obi-Wan and Padme!" he wept trying to get closer but the light seemed to be moving away.

"_**Are you?**_"

"Am I what? Dead? An idiot? A dead idiot? Yes!" he gave up struggling towards the light and surrendered himself to the coming darkness. Acceptance was always hard for Anakin but finally he had learned the hardest of lessons. It had taken the loss of everything he loved to finally understand.

"I'm sorry Obi-Wan…Padme…I'm so sorry…I love you both so much…" He said into the darkness and heard Master Qui-Gon sigh.

"_**I'm sorry too Anakin. I put so much on you and Obi-wan's shoulders. It was not fair**_," Qui-Gon said sadly. Anakin noticed the light growing closer now that he wasn't struggling.

"_**Just because you were the chosen one that doesn't mean you were meant to be alone…I am sorry that you felt that way. You, Obi-Wan and Padme deserved better**_,"

"Thank you Master…I am so sorry I messed up…I wish I could go back… I would do anything to make up for my mistakes…"

"_**Anything?**_"

"Yes…for Obi-Wan…for Padme…for our baby…Oh and sweet Ahsoka! I failed her! I would do anything…" Anakin replied his heart had let go of regret and was filled now only with love for his angel Padme and for his big brother Obi-Wan for his little sister Ahsoka. And for his son he was full of hope that Obi-Wan might live to save his baby and save Padme. His vision had shown him Obi-Wan would be with her…

"_**Anakin, I have an important task for you. You must learn the difference between being idle and waiting. And most importantly you must learn to let go and trust in the Force. When you return, I think you will find this to be your greatest challenge**_,"

"What do you mean? I'm going back!?" Anakin replied a spark of hope igniting that fiery passion he was famous for. He would find Obi-Wan and Padme and Ahsoka! He could tell them he was sorry. He would tell Ahsoka he should have left with her. She was right!

"_**Anakin…the trials you face as you return will be the most difficult you have ever encountered. Are you sure you want to go back?**_" Master Qui-Gon retorted ominously. This gave Anakin pause. Of course if he returned he would have to deal with Palpatine but he had no way of knowing what his situation would be when he returned. How long had he been unconscious? Was he still in Palpatine's office? If he was, there was no doubt he would help Master Windu, but he got the feeling his time for that choice had passed.

"Yes Master Qui-Gon," he replied cautiously. Once he would have jumped in headless of dangers but Anakin had indeed learned this lesson well.

"_**When in doubt look to the Force…you will find me there**_," Qui-Gon replied as the world exploded in light and Anakin blinked as he returned to the world of the living. It was quiet, he could hear servos whirring somewhere in the room and noticed a coroner droid working at a console. He looked around testing his aching body. He had lost feeling in the right side of his body from his face down to his feet. He blinked several times and learned he could not see out of his right eye.

'Makes sense,' he thought taking a deep breath and allowing the Force to move through him. Master Windu had cornered the Sith lord. Palpatine had asked for Anakin's help but Anakin hesistate. Doubt in Palpatine's intentions had been eating at him as much as his doubts of the Jedi. In that moment of hesitation Palpatine had shot his lighting at Anakin's exposed metal hand. He had forgotten to put his leather glove back on and the surge had been intensified by the metal. Everything had gone dark after that.

He was in a morgue, which was obvious from the other pods around the room. He needed to get to Padme and he needed to warn Obi-Wan. Ahsoka was on Mandalore… he might still be able to warn her and Rex. He had to be patient though. He stayed very still allowing the Force to help him regain feeling in his leg. He tested again after several minutes and saw that he could move his leg now and his face though the stump of his right arm was still completely useless and his right eye was very blurry. He realized his lightsaber was gone.

'That could be problematic…' thought Anakin but once more he called on the Force. He needed to get out of the pod he was in and find out what was going on.

'One step at a time,' he advised himself. As he now tried to move his left arm he felt a small bundle there. He shifted his weight and finally managed to sit up. The shroud covering up the little bundle fell just enough to reveal a tiny face and Anakin stared, horror hitting him harder than the boulder he used to flatten the Tuskens.

**NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!**

Somehow he managed to get out of the pod. The Force seemed to explode around him as did the morgue's attendant droid as it hit the alarm. He had felt crushing pain like this only once before but he felt helpless this time. The dark side did not come to him as it did then when his mother died. He wept and collapsed onto his knees. Master Qui-Gon had not been kidding! This was the hardest trial and Anakin wasn't sure he could survive it.

'I would've rather lost both my arms and legs and my life along with it than to lose you!' he thought looking at the tiny face bundled in his arm. Grief and pain making him scream incoherently. The door of the morgue opened his angel Padme came in. Her loyal friend and body guard tough as durasteel, Sabe helped her limp towards him. He stopped screaming and wept unreservedly as Padme knelt next to him and with both arms around his chest and her lips to his ear she released him from pain.

"That is not our baby," she whispered so softly Anakin was sure he had only hoped she said it. She pulled his weeping face towards her and kissed him. Then once more put her lips to his ear and repeated the phrase. Anakin's grief abated just enough to look at the tiny face once more and think. He let the Force be his guide.

"Padme, I'm so sorry,"

"You're alive! I thought I lost you! But you're here! We thought you were dead," Padme wept tears of joy for the first time in days.

'We?' thought Anakin in the haze of grief a ray of light shone through. Obi-Wan thought he was dead and she thought he was dead.

'So that means she sent our baby away into hiding with Obi-Wan!' he realized as relief suddenly flooded him. He collapsed exhausted into Padme's arms at peace with the knowledge that Obi-Wan would love Luke and take good care of him. A medic made it past Sabe and with deep reluctance he let go of the tiny being that in death would be keeping his baby safe. He realized that despite the knowledge that their son was alive he felt the deepest of grief. It was impossible to know if he would ever meet his son.

'Master you weren't kidding…this is hard,' He thought as he let himself get lifted onto a gurney…

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So I don't know how often I will be updating this. I will certainly continue the story as I have a lot of what ifs in my head for this universe. Hopefully I can post something soon for Ahsoka and maybe Cal Kestis from Fallen Order. We'll see...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not doing this for money...yada yada etc...

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Chapter 2

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_Far on the outer rim in a shady, out of the way space port, Ahsoka Tano – who barely escaped Order 66 a few days ago on Mandalore – sat in a corner of a tavern, a mug of some hot bone broth in her hands, her eyes watching the door and her mind on the nearest back exit. She finished her broth quick and was about to leave but stopped as the barkeep was asked to turn up the volume on the holonet news. She almost didn't stay to watch, she didn't need to be told again by the new Emperor's stooges that, she and everyone she had ever known and loved were criminals! _

_But she stopped as she saw a familiar face on the holo. There was a story about Padme. Padme was a different sort of friend for Ahsoka. She looked up to her and was as much a sister to her as any of the Jedi women she had ever known – more so since what had happened with Bariss. And as much a teacher as Anakin had been._

_The report said that Senator Amidala had arrived with General Anakin Skywalker's body on Naboo. On her way home she had been attacked by separatist assassins on the way. She had survived the attacked but lost her captain of the guard and miscarried her baby._

_The report hit Ahsoka like a ton of bricks! Her beloved master was dead and worst of all so was his baby! She had always suspected that something was going on between Padme and her master. But having confirmation in such a terrible way was more than she could bear. _

_Ahsoka barely heard the man explain him dying at the hands of assassins. She would never believe that! If her master was dead it was because he was betrayed. She knew in her heart that Palpatine was the reason he and his baby were dead! Obi-Wan had never liked him and neither had she._

_She hurried away from the crowd, rushing to find an empty place to let out her grief. For the first time since deciding to leave the Jedi Order she felt truly and completely alone…_

* * *

Lying there in one of the suites of the central hospital of Theed, Anakin reflected on Master Qui-Gon's words. Padme lay on a bed next to his. Sabe had gone to battle with the hospital staff to make sure her queen had her husband next to her. Padme looked as exhausted and grief stricken as he felt. Sabe was a good friend, Padme was lucky.

Padme had tried to get her to go home and rest but Sabe wasn't having it. Anakin suggested a cot in their suite so Sabe could at least get some rest. Sabe liked the idea and immediately made it happen. Nothing would keep her from her queen's side ever again. Padme's other friends rallied to help out bringing their former queen and their fellow guard clothes and other things that would make them comfortable.

Anakin admired their sisterhood. He felt ridiculous for ever feeling envy over it. He looked at the clothes hanging neatly on hook near his bed they brought for him and felt nothing but the deepest gratitude towards these women. He wanted to ask more about their baby but he didn't dare. Wherever Obi wan was headed with their baby secrecy was their greatest shield.

There was a commotion outside. Sabe and Sache were arguing angrily with someone outside, insisting that Padme and her husband were in no condition to be interrogated. Even though he had not been able to have a full conversation with Padme on what's been happening since the former Chancellor tried to kill him, he learned enough to guess what and for whom the next trial was.

'Here we go,' he looked over at Padme. She looked between angry and terrified. He took a deep calming breath and smiled at her. This trial was not for him. This trial was for Padme. He had learned his lesson and he would let go and put his trust in Padme.

"It's going to be alright my Angel. I have faith in you," the calm in his voice put Padme at ease.

"I love you," he added and then called to Padme's friends to let the intruder in…

"Thank you _Governor_ Panaka. Please let our Emperor know that I will be honored to resume my role as Senator," Padme announced in her strongest Queen Amidala tone, dismissing her one time friend. Sache and Sabe just looked on stone faced and didn't say a word through the whole exchange. Their silence was louder than anything they could have said as he explained how the sacrifice of their liberty and the death of their most sacred beliefs was a small price to pay to protect their planet.

The Emperor had superseded the autonomy of the Naboo government and appointed an overseer to carry out his will; he was busy doing this on many worlds in the outer and mid rim territories. Panaka was appointed the Imperial Governor of Naboo and all affiliated systems in the Chommel sector.

His authority would supersede the Queen and all elected government officials including Sache – who had been on track to replace Sio Bibble in the next election on Naboo – but that office was now eliminated. It went against everything the people of Naboo stood for and the democracy they loved. Panaka was a traitor in their eyes.

'And he knows it,' thought Anakin in awe of the women around him and especially his beautiful, selfless and strong wife. They had sown the seeds of doubt in Panaka. It would take time and careful tending but those seeds would eventually bare fruit.

'Patience is the greatest virtue of a Jedi,' he reminded himself. He would be patient…

Seeing Padme's family at the hospital had been hard. They were more forgiving and accepting than Anakin thought they should have been. Padme did not tell them about Luke. As close and loving as they were, it had seemed unfair to watch them cry for a baby that was not their grandson. But he deferred to Padme once again; he had to trust that whatever mission she sent Obi-Wan on with their baby was right. He would stand by whatever decisions she made.

Padme's sister Sola and Sabe had made the arrangements for the funeral. It was taking place in a garden on the grounds of the Royal Palace. Little Kani Skywalker would be cremated in the custom of a traditional Jedi funeral. But kneeling next to his bier though he wept along with his wife and her family, it didn't matter that this baby was not his son. He had his life taken from him by the injustices of the Republic and now the Empire.

'No! By the Sith!' he thought. He felt suddenly a change in him. He allowed the grief to stay but he realized the dark side would never hold him again. In fact, his grief would be his shield when he and Padme faced the Emperor once more.

"I promise you I will honor you every day of my life," he said softly putting his hand on the tiny baby's chest. Padme put her hand over Anakin's. Emotion stuck words to her throat as she looked at her husband, nodding silently, tears streaming down her face.

"We are brave your highness," Sabe said from behind him and Padme. The phrase had become a mantra for Sabe and every time she said it Padme's strength was restored. Anakin looked up and smiled sadly at Sabe, eternally grateful of her stalwart friendship.

She had a determined look on her face. In the past few days he had finally come to understand why Sabe was so important to Padme. No one understood Padme quite the way Sabe did and no one else could do what Sabe had done….what she was still willing to do.

Padme stood and accepted the torch from Sabe but as her hand began to tremble, Anakin placed his hand over hers on the torch handle. As he looked in her eyes his love for her was enough to overcome the overwhelming grief. They looked at the little boy in the small bier, surrounded by a large variety of the beautiful flowers of Naboo. He heard a choked sob from Padme's parents but they both pushed past their grief to light the fire.

'I will _never_ forget you,' Anakin thought as the tiny baby disappeared in the flames. His mother's remains looking over the whole proceeding from within a statue of an angel…

* * *

He became good friends very quickly with Capt. Tonra – Sabe's partner. He was a genuinely nice guy who cared a great deal about Sabe and was extremely loyal to Padme. With Capt Typho's passing, Tonra had been offered his position after Sabe had refused it. She preferred to return to her position as handmaiden/bodyguard. She did not want to be separated from Padme ever again. Anakin realized that this arrangement was as much for Padme's well-being as it was for Sabe's. Both women were hurting and they needed each other.

Tonra had accompanied Senator Organa home, disguised as part of his crew. His mission had been to lead Senator Organa to Padme's location after the separatist attack. Tonra knew Bail Organa was integral Padme's plans. He helped Padme and Obi-Wan escape from the Sith. Tonra seemed to latch himself onto Anakin within hours of his arrival. He was hurting as much as Sabe and looking after Anakin seemed to alleviate his sorrow.

It had been a week since the funeral when Anakin decided he needed to walk. It was hard to convince Tonra to let him go alone but his head needed clearing and he couldn't do it with his new friend fretting over his well-being next to him. He and Padme were still in the capital staying in the palace as guests of the queen. The surprises had not ended for Anakin. Padme's friend Bail Organa sent them an invite with Capt. Tonra to the naming of their new baby daughter.

Padme had mentioned months ago that he and Breha were thinking of adopting a little baby girl. Padme had mentioned Queen Breha had suffered a terrible accident in her youth that made it difficult – if not impossible – for her to carry her own children. The war was leaving no shortage of orphans so it was an easy decision for her Alderaanian friends. It came as a total shock to find out that the little girl that ended up being adopted by the Alderaanian royals was his daughter – Luke's twin: Leia!

He understood why Padme had not told him she was carrying twins. Neither he nor Padme knew. They wanted to be surprised when their baby was born so Padme had ordered her medical droid to keep any information about the baby to itself, to only tell her if she and her baby were healthy. The droid had carried out the order to the letter. Sabe had erased that droid's memory before leaving Coruscant.

Padme had only realized she was having twins when she was literally having them! Bail Organa had been instrumental in helping her carry out her plans and helped Obi-Wan escape and the fact that no one – not even Padme – had known about Leia, guaranteed her safety. Leia could hide in plain sight! So Padme had made a decision right at the moment of Leia's birth to send Leia away with her best friend and his wife. Leia would be loved by them and Padme could still keep an eye on her from a distance.

Padme had declined his invitation because both she and Anakin's injuries were far from healed. Bail and Breha were very understanding. He and Padme were not in any condition to travel given the physical and emotional pain they were in. Anakin felt the second crushing blow in as many weeks.

He had wanted a daughter so badly. He wondered now if his certainty that their baby was a girl was him connecting to Leia through the Force. He was both envious and grateful of Bail and Breha. Padme's artist friend – and former handmaiden – Eirtae had helped them pick out a gift to send to Bail and Breha for Leia.

But now his grief was spent. He felt numb and his connection to the Force had weakened. He went out of the palace for a walk and despite the pain on his electrocuted leg, he walked for hours. He accepted a ride from public transports here and there taking him further and further from the city. The physicians had told him that getting a new arm would only be possible if they removed what was left of his right arm. Then they could replace his entire arm.

When the emperor electrocuted him with his Force-lightning, he had fried the nerves in the stump making connecting a new prosthetic to the stump impossible. He would also need surgery to repair the cataract that had formed on his right eye and would require a cybernetic implant to recover his vision in that eye.

They also told him he would likely not be able to freely move his right leg ever again. They offered to remove it and replace it with a prosthetic. He was still thinking about his options trying to decide whether he wanted to be half mechanical, half human. He did not like that idea at all! Padme had told him she would stand by whatever decisions he made. The only thing that concerned her was making sure he was alive and well. She didn't care if that meant a few pieces on him were made of metal. He loved her all the more for her unconditional acceptance.

'It's not working,' he thought feeling numb. He was just walking aimlessly it seemed trying to center himself and find a place to connect to the living Force. His random amblings had ended up sending him to a junkyard rather than one of the many forests and nature preserves around the city. He shook his head as he wandered around the yard absently picking up random bits of wires, metal casings and other electronic discards and putting them in his pockets.

'Why am I picking up this junk?' he thought as he finally realized what he was doing. He was about to reach in his pockets to throw away the pieces when a familiar feeling prickled at his Jedi senses. Surprised, he took a deep breath and let his feet be guided by the Force.

'I'm still doing it! I'm not letting go and trusting the Force!' he scolded himself as the feeling got stronger. He reached a large pile of rusted battle droids and debris that looked like it was leftover from the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo almost 15 years ago. He lowered himself to his knees, ignoring the pain on his right leg. He closed his eyes and gave himself fully to the Force.

The pile began to shift and carefully move aside. He opened his eyes and saw buried in the sand under the pile something metallic. He crawled forward and dug until he pulled it out. For the first time in weeks he felt his confidence surge!

'Obi-Wan's lightsaber!' he thought full of joy! Obi-Wan had told him that he had lost his first lightsaber in his first duel against Darth Maul. The lightsaber he had carried was Master Qui-Gon's saber. His hand around the hilt of his master's saber restored his confidence and he finally made his decision. He turned around and headed back to the palace, this time he called for a cab to pick him up…

* * *

"I don't know Sola…it doesn't seem right," Padme sighed. Anakin paused just outside their quarters in the palace. Padme's sister was suggesting he and Padme have a ceremony to renew their vows before returning to Coruscant. While their grief was still so near. a party was the furthest thing from his mind but he could also sense that Padme wanted this.

"Pardon me for eavesdropping ladies… but I think its good idea," Anakin began as he entered the room putting his grief aside. It was time for him to think about Padme and what she needed.

"I know it feels off what with our baby gone but this could be a new beginning for us," he added. Padme looked at him with a little bit of hope. After so much death and pain they needed a moment to recover some part of what they lost.

"Are you sure?" Padme insisted but he could see more clearly now the spark of hope in her eyes. He smiled, full of love for her.

"I am absolutely sure that I want all of your family and friends to know how much I love you," Anakin replied stroking her cheek. He was rewarded with a full smile from Padme, cheers from her teenaged nieces and her sister Sola. She started to kiss him when the queen arrived with a couple of her handmaidens and Governor Panaka.

"I am sorry for interrupting," Queen Apailana announced as she arrived. Sola and her daughters made a bee line for the door as they spotted the person walking with the queen. Padme and Sabe became stone faced and solemn. You didn't need to be force-sensitive to feel the resentment that boiled deep beneath the calm faces. Padme quickly moved forward to greet her.

"Not at all your highness," Padme greeted the queen warmly and Panaka coolly Anakin noted. Anakin shuffled towards the new arrivals, exaggerating the damage in his leg.

"It is good to see you up and about Master Jedi," the queen greeted him very warmly. Anakin tried not to laugh at the young woman's open defiance. The Jedi were "disbanded" and the staff had been told to refer to him as General Skywalker not by his Jedi title. He had learned very quickly that even saying the word Jedi was something to be feared.

"Thanks in no small part to your kind hospitality your highness," Anakin bowed but the queen moved forward to boldly shake his hand in both of hers.

"I _am_ still allowed to host my friends at least," she replied giving Panaka a defiant glare as she released Anakin's hand. Anakin had to put his mirth in check at the queen's continued defiance.

"One would think her highness would be a little more grateful for the peace and security the Empire offers," Panaka retorted in a dangerous growl. Queen Apailana and Panaka suddenly were staring each other down when Padme put her considerable diplomatic skills in play.

"We _are_ grateful for your work Governor. We know how much you care for the well-being of Naboo and all its citizens. Anakin and I were discussing our plans for our return to Coruscant when you arrived," Padme interrupted trying to diffuse the tension suddenly rising between Panaka and Queen Apailana.

"Yes, our new _Governor_ has informed me you will continue to serve our world in the Senate," Queen Apailana remarked though her disdain for Panaka's new title was a little too obvious. Anakin thought perhaps he might chat with the Queen privately at some point. She was flirting with danger and he would rather someone strong like her be around a long time. The future needed people like her quietly building toward it.

"Yes, my wife will continue to serve her people and I will support her in any way I can," Anakin put in diplomatically, though that had never been his strong suit.

"I look forward to working with the Empire for the good of all its citizens," Padme added graciously.

"I will happily convey that to the Emperor. He was pleased to hear of your survival General Skywalker. I am leaving for Coruscant tomorrow but I will be back next week," Panaka announced solemnly. Padme recognized his very cross tone as he explained the Governors were meeting with the Emperor this week. Once the Empire was properly organized Emperor Palpatine would call the Senators back to start the next session of the senate. In an effort to ease tension she extended and invitation to her nuptials to both of them.

"Without all the bureaucratic nonsense of the _Republic_, this will happen quickly," Panaka did not hide his disdain for the Galactic Republic.

"I would love to be there for you Padme," Panaka added more softly, genuinely happy for his old protégé. His face was turned away from Anakin, his eyes on Padme making a very obvious effort to ignore Queen Apailana and further antagonize her. Anakin felt an alarm from the Force and realized that Queen Apailana was about to say something that would put her in the sights of the Emperor – and not in a good way. He locked eyes with the queen.

'_Please_,' he mouthed the word, letting her see the fear he felt for her life in his face. Surprised, the young queen's mouth opened then closed again.

"I would be honored if you would let me host this event Senator Amidala," Apailana added graciously, her emotions obviously mastered.

"Yes your highness I do believe that two of our planet's greatest heroes deserve some fanfare," Panaka agreed magnanimously. The queen visibly restrained herself from saying something scathing.

"My staff and I will begin preparations then," she added in the calm stoic tone that was characteristic of Naboo elected royals. Anakin let out softly the breath he had been holding. He reached out to the young queen and took her hand. He bowed as best as his semi paralyzed leg would let him.

"Thank you your highness. We are honored by your gracious hospitality," Anakin said with a slight relieved smile.

"It is I who am honored General Skywalker," the queen replied a little sadly and with a polite but neutral goodbye to Panaka she and her handmaidens left. Anakin made a note that he would find a way to speak with Queen Apailana soon. Her anger was understandable but it put her in danger. The future needed people like her…and she was the same age Ahsoka was when she first became his padawan. He felt drawn to protecting her.

Once he and Padme were alone he showed her what he had found in the junkyard.

"Where did you find this? We looked for it for years!?" Padme exclaimed surprised. The casing was crushed and some of the components were damaged but the kyber crystal was intact.

"In a junkyard…it was calling me!" Anakin replied, his heart becoming lighter with the thought that Obi-Wan in some way was helping him. Padme smiled as he explained that he would use the crystal to rebuild his saber. He had plenty of experience building sabers, he was always losing them.

"This certainly makes things easier!" exclaimed Sabe joining in their enthusiasm. No one had asked them about Anakin's lightsaber yet but she was certain it was a matter of time. Sabe had seen someone sneaking in to the morgue. Little Kani had been in Anakin and Padme's suite at the hospital in a little med-pod but someone stole the records and DNA samples for Kani Skywalker.

Sabe had switched out Kani's DNA for a sample taken from Luke when he was born. Anakin force-wrecking the morgue had made that task easy! She and Padme had been certain the Emperor would try to make sure that Anakin's son was dead too. A boy from Anakin was certain to be a danger to him because of the prophecy of the chosen one. Luke was safe thanks to Sabe and Padme's foresight.

"We were planning on saying your saber was lost in the fight with the separatists," Padme explained.

"Now you don't have to! I can build a new casing for Obi-Wan's crystal and make it look like my lightsaber," he replied grinning happily, feeling closer to his old self.

"Where's Tonra?" he asked but before she could answer Capt. Tonra came walking in. His face was somber and Anakin could feel his renewed grief. After a brief greeting, he handed Padme a data pad.

"The report from Mandalore, Senator," he announced sadly. He locked a grief stricken look with Sabe as Padme and Anakin huddled together to read the missive. Padme covered her mouth as tears ran down her face. Darth Maul had escaped and Ahsoka had perished under Order 66 along with Capt. Rex. Anakin read the message carefully once more. No body had been recovered for Ahsoka, only her lightsabers and the mutilated remains of Capt. Rex.

"Nice move Snips!" he chuckled darkly. Sabe, Padme and Tonra stared at him confused.

"I've been through this test with Ahsoka enough times! I know how it ends! The Emperor underestimates her and that's just perfect!" Anakin continued with a maniacal grin on his face.

"Anakin what are saying?" Padme demanded. He smiled at Padme absolutely feeling like his cocky self again.

"Ahsoka lives!" he announced to his little group. He was so confident of this, she might as well have called him and to let her know she was ok. He looked again, he wasn't sure about Rex but he was willing to bet he was alive too. Rex would never let anyone hurt her, not even his brothers

'Oh yes! My padawan lives,' thought Anakin feeling truly alive again! He knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would find her way back to him...

* * *

The first thing the Force drew him to after discovering his Padawan as alive, was music! He didn't understand why, as he had never been too interested in arts but he hearing Rabe sing one night during a meeting with the queen he felt drawn to it. He had chosen not to replace his arm, his leg or his eye. The Force was guiding him against this choice so he listened. It made learning to play an instrument a bit awkward – but he was Jedi so not impossible, just awkward.

He studied diligently with Rabe as Padme held endless meetings with the Queen and Panaka - mostly separately - to figure out what her role in the Empire was actually going to be. On the surface it looked as if little would actually change. But Anakin knew better, in the end it would matter little what the senators might think they could accomplish. The Sith only cared about the power they exercised over living beings, nothing more, they would step on anyone or anything that gets in the way.

If Palpatine was capable of taking out the Jedi order and the Republic, both of which had stood for millennia, he could take out anyone! Padme and her other allies among both the senate and Naboo's elected officials had to be careful. Anakin had asked Padme to talk to Queen Apalaina about her defiance and it seemed that whatever Padme said had calmed the tensions between Panaka and the legitimate Naboo government, especially the queen.

"You definitely need to sing this to Padme at the party!" Rabe exclaimed after a rehearsal for the wedding. Rabe had encouraged Anakin to write Padme a song for the wedding. She was impressed not only with the speed at which he learned but his raw talent.

"I don't know…its kind of silly," he thought feeling unusually self-conscious.

"Trust me! You have to sing this! She will love it!" Rabe insisted full of cheer. When Rabe had tasked him to write a song, he had wanted to write something soft and profound. But when he searched the Force for advice, his mind had been turned to the first time he had held Padme as her husband. The reckless and wonderful euphoria that he had felt after the first time he made love to his wife filled him. The song had flowed out of him quickly after that.

"I'm with Rabe! You definitely need to sing it!" Tonra added with a grin on his face. Their enthusiasm was contagious so he finally agreed.

'We've had enough sadness so what's the harm in a little silly fun,' he thought as he agreed.

* * *

Bail and Breha Organa were invited to the wedding but being parents to an 8 week old baby meant they could not go off world to parties. Bail wanted to spend every second he could with his wife and daughter before the senate sessions started again. There was a good chance that Padme would see very little of him this coming year. Padme and Anakin obviously understood and it warmed their hearts to see the love and devotion in their eyes for little Leia.

Governor Panaka had delivered an invitation to the Emperor who of course politely declined. He was supposed to still be "recovering" from the attempted assassination by the Jedi. Anakin knew it was more about consolidating his power and trying to figure out how to control him now that his trap had failed. Anakin put that test out of his mind, today was for Padme.

_Stay in the moment Anakin…be mindful of the living Force_

Master Qui-Gon's voice floated towards him for the first time since the darkness in between life and death. Anakin smiled; there was a touch of mischief in the Jedi Master's voice. He took a deep calming breath as he waited at the altar for his beloved to arrive…

For Padme it was liberating in a way to have all her friends and family here. She was happy for the first time in weeks, perhaps because she no longer had to hide how she felt about Anakin. She could see that spark coming back to him. His eyes were full of that fire she loved so much about him. They danced across the room just living in the moment, allowing themselves just to be in love again leaving grief and pain behind at least for today.

Rabe sang some very beautiful new songs then she kicked up the band to play more lively music. As Padme kicked off her heels and Sabe helped her remove the lacy headdress from her hair, the older guests took that as their cue to take their leave so the younger guests could let their hair down and party.

The young men started taking off their jackets and unbuttoning their shirts a little as the ballroom got warmer and rowdier. They drank deeply of the large casks of toniray wine the Organa family had sent as a gift. Padme was cheerfully surprised when Rabe announced Anakin was going to perform something for his wife. They cheered as Anakin began to climb up the stage.

Since waking from the pod Anakin had been wearing Naboo royal fashions. He found them restrictive compared to the comfortable Jedi robes he was used to wearing. The wine allowed him to throw caution to the wind as he removed his shirt. Cat calls and whistles went up in the crowd as Anakin removed his vest and finally his shirt. Tonra and some of the other young men in the crowd followed Anakin's example. Padme moved up close to the stage as Rabe started up the band again and handed Anakin a hand held microphone.

_Lord Almighty,_

_I feel my temperature rising_

_Higher higher_

_It's burning through to my soul_

_Baby, baby, baby_

_You gonna set me on fire_

_My brain is flaming_

_I don't know which way to go_

Padme stared in utter amazement at Anakin. She danced, cheered and waved her arms as Anakin's rich voice filled the ballroom.

_Your kisses lift me higher_

_Like the sweet song of a choir_

_You light my morning sky_

_With burning love_

_Ooh, ooh, ooh,_

_I feel my temperature rising_

_Help me, I'm flaming_

_I must be a hundred and nine_

_Burning, burning, burning_

_And nothing can cool me_

_I just might turn into smoke_

_But I feel fine_

His eyes locked with hers as he sang and she felt herself come alive again. He was her wild beautiful Anakin once more. For the first time in weeks she was full of hope.

'_Cause your kisses lift me higher_

_Like a sweet song of a choir_

_And you light my morning sky_

_With burning love_

_It's coming closer_

_The flames are reaching my body_

_Please won't you help me_

_I feel like I'm slipping away_

_It's hard to breath_

_And my chest is just a-heaving_

_Lord have mercy,_

_Burning a hole in me…_

He swayed his hips and poured himself into the performance stirring the crowd into a frenzy! Ahsoka had always accused her master of being a big old show off. She was not wrong!

'_Cause your kisses lift me higher_

_Like the sweet song of a choir_

_You light my morning sky_

_With burning love_

_With burning looove_

_Ah, ah burning love_

_I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning love!_

_I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning love!_

He was electric and she found herself easily being drawn in by the magic of her beloved Anakin Skywalker!

_I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning…. Looooove!_

As he held that last note and ended the song thunderous cheers went through the crowd at the party. Anakin bowed then returned the mic to Rabe. He made his way down the steps of the stage into the waiting arms of his bride. Her face was alight with hope and joy! He was glad that he had followed Rabe and Tonra's advice and sang this song. Later that evening in each other's arms they rediscovered their passion for each other and hope for the future…

* * *

Thanks for reading! Hopefully I can upload more soon! Let me know if there is a character you are curious to see pop up. This is a what if so I'm open to suggestions. I know Cal Kestis is next for me but I am not sure I wanna mess with any of the plot points of Rebels. Not sure if I will write anything about Kanan yet...who knows tho...


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: doing it for fun!

Little Spoilers for Rise of Skywalker...sort of. And definite spoilers for the video game Jedi: Fallen Order.

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

Padawan Cal Kestis had never felt so alone and confused in his entire life. Until today in fact he had never experienced being alone and whenever he felt confused, his masters were there to help him through it. But here on the surface of Bracca with his dead Master's body in his arms, he had no idea what he was supposed to do next.

'Why did they turn on us?' he thought confused and frightened, trying to block out the memory of all the clones suddenly attacking them, of his master sacrificing himself to save him, of their ship exploding in orbit from Master Tapal's sabotage of the reactor core as their lone escape pod rocketed away.

'Master…I'm sorry,' he thought as he wept. He figured the first thing he needed to do was make his escape pod disappear. He had to cover his tracks. The planet was one big junkyard. From the hill where he landed he could see a lot of fires raging. He figured it was debris from their vessel raining down. So setting fire to the pod seemed like the best plan. He could give his Master a Jedi burial at least. The great Master Jaro Tapal deserved that much at least, he surmised.

Tears stinging his eyes, he shivered in the cold as he removed all the supplies on the pod that he could use to survive until the council could send help. He had to hurry but he had the hardest time letting go of his Master. What would he say to Master Yoda or Master Windu? He straightened his master's body in as dignified a way as he could. His hands shook violently as he finally ignited the engines and set the pod ablaze.

He wept unreservedly for a long time. He didn't know what he should do or where he should go. After finally expending his grief he left the pod. His pack heavy with survival gear and rations enough for maybe three weeks, maybe more if he was careful. He needed to get more supplies. He made his way from his master's pyre and headed towards the nearest town on foot.

It took him almost a week to get to the nearest town. It was mostly habitations and a couple of taverns. Both the taverns had a transmitter for general broadcasts but they were disabled due to a blackout of communications. This scared Cal even more! The war must be going badly for the Republic. He concentrated on getting from one day to the next selling scrap he salvaged from wrecks to survive.

Days turned into weeks, on his seventh week troops started pouring in. The white armored troopers scared Cal but he realized their helmets looked different. As one of the troopers ordered him to get out of the way he realized they were not clones. The voice was definitely a woman's voice and the clones had all been male and had the same voice. An announcement was made that the Empire was taking over the yards of Bracca.

'The Empire? What Empire?' wondered Cal but he didn't dare ask questions. The other orphans he had blended in with didn't care about galactic politics, the Republic or the Separatists. They disliked them all equally. They wanted only for a meal and a place to sleep and perhaps a way off Bracca. He kept quiet, always afraid someone might notice he was Jedi.

'Day number 66 since the day the troopers turned on us,' Cal thought as he sipped the hot broth. He had been smart to ditch his Jedi robes within the first day he was here. He made his way to the tavern to get a meal. He took a cup of bone broth and some bread then sat down in a corner by the door. The transmitter was fixed finally and the tavern was relatively quiet as they listened to the news anchor talk about Senator Amidala's return to Coruscant.

"_**Crowds are out to welcome the triumphant return of the hero without fear! General Skywalker!"**_

Cal's heart leapt with joy!

'Finally some good news!' he thought hope ringing in his heart.

'I can finally go home!' he hoped. He had met Master Skywalker only a handful of times but he was so nice to be around. He was patient and kind but strong and heroic! The chiseled features, tall athletic frame and the youthful good looks impressed little Cal so much that he hoped one day to be just like him.

"_**General Skywalker had been badly wounded by a group of Jedi who attempted to murder our benevolent Emperor Palpatine!"**_

That last bit sent a cold shiver down Cal's back.

'Emperor Palpatine? What?' he thought but pretended to not be interested, watching from the rim of his broth cup. His cup froze as Senator Amidala made her way off the ship and a camera zoomed in on the General. His right arm was gone; he wore a patch on his right eye and struggled to walk. Senator Amidala looked like she was holding him up as he struggled next to her dragging his right leg. He looked like he had aged 20 years in a few weeks!

'What happened to him?' Cal wondered horrified trying to listen.

"_General Skywalker was taken back to the Emperor's homeworld of Naboo to be healed but was almost killed by remnant separatist forces. Luckily Senator Amidala – the current Senator of Naboo and the Chommel sector – was there to protect him!"_

He knew that had to be a lie. But his heart and hopes were crushed to dust. If someone as tough as Master Skywalker could be turned into that wreck by the Empire then there was no hope for him. The reporters continued cheerfully exclaiming how great it was that the Jedi order had been disbanded. The galaxy was better off without them, according to the reporters. Fear at least ended for Cal. No one was coming for him. It was over! Life as he knew it was gone. Whatever was left of his hopes…his dreams…vanished!

He hurried to finish his meager meal. The workday was about to start so he rushed to join the line of day workers – people who would only get paid depending on the value of what they salvaged. A big Abednedo male noticed him as he reached the line. He walked over to Cal and offered an Abednedo version of a smile. Cal shyly bowed his head a little, not knowing if he should run or stay put. He stayed put.

"Hey kid! I've noticed you've been bringing in some good pieces! The Scrapper guild could use someone like you. Someone small and agile that can get into tight spots, that's you right? What do you say? It pays better," the big guy offered, he didn't know if it was just that he was feeling especially lonely but he felt like he could trust the guy.

"The name's Prauf!" the big guy introduced himself boisterously. He explained he was an engineer from the Scrapper Guild.

"Cal," he replied shyly and politely accepted Prauf's offer. Cal went through the day feeling completely disconnected. It was like he was on autopilot and he couldn't hear or feel the Force anymore. He still managed to impress his new friend Prauf. He made more that day than he had made in weeks. But he felt empty. The Jedi order was gone, he still couldn't believe it. Finally, as night was falling, he was about to go search for the other kids he'd been blending in with, when his new friend called out to him.

"Hey Cal, you have a place to stay?" Prauf asked softly. He and his fellow orphans made ramshackle tents out of rusted metal slabs at night. He decided not to say so; the troopers were arresting anyone living on the streets. Vagrancy was illegal and Cal didn't want to think what the Empire would do to him as a former Jedi let alone a vagrant one. But once more Cal decided to trust his new friend so he shyly shook his head.

"There are some apartments guild members can rent. They're small but comfortable and they are pretty cheap. Comes fully furnished! Come on I'll show you!" Prauf offered. Cal hesitated but realized quickly, what did he have to lose? He might as well build some kind of life here. His home was gone. They got on the maglev train and Prauf showed him to the apartments stopping on the way to buy food. He handed Cal a key card and walked him over to his new place.

"Here's yours! I live next door. Holler if you need anything," Prauf called out as he added a good night.

"Thank you Prauf," Cal shyly nodded and Prauf smiled, said good night again and went in to his apartment. The apartment was small; it had one bed about the size of his bunk on board the venator-class stardestroyer Albedo Brave. It had a little kitchen and sink, a small clothing sanitizer, a fresher with a shower and toilet.

He gratefully stepped into the shower letting weeks of grime go down the drain. He shivered naked under a blanket waiting for the little clothing sanitizer to finish cleaning his grime covered clothes. He dressed in his new clothes after a little meal then he finally laid down on the little bed which was surprisingly more comfortable than his bunk on the Albedo. That was when it hit him!

'This is it! This is my life now!' Cal curled up under the blanket and wept as the life he had once envisioned for himself vanished!

Prauf could hear his new little rigger weeping next door. He felt bad for the kid; the war had taken everything from him obviously. He could tell that Cal was not one of the rough kids who were raised in the street.

'He had a home…a good home and the war took that away and not all that long ago either,' Prauf thought. A well educated kid in a war torn backwater like this… He decided he was not going to look too hard at it. Safer for Cal…

He frowned deeply, if how the troopers were treating Cal and all the other kids like him was a taste of things to come; the Empire was gonna be worse than the Separatists and the Republic had ever been…

* * *

-0-

-0-

* * *

The Emperor finally called the senators back to Coruscant. The Empire had finished reorganizing so governmental operations resumed. The speed that it all happened confirmed what Anakin already knew. Palpatine had been planning this for years. He was the one that ordered the creation of the clone army and he was the one who masterminded the Clone Wars to weaken the Republic; vilify the Jedi and take over in the confusion.

He realized that Palpatine even masterminded the invasion of his own planet by the Trade Federation. Anakin and Padme realized looking at the history of the past fifteen or so years that this single event had created a cascade effect that culminated in the Clone Wars. The timelines all suggested it and now Anakin could kick himself for not seeing it sooner!

"He knew how to manipulate us all Anakin," Padme reasoned as they settled back into their home on Coruscant.

"And keep us distracted! Pulling the Jedi in a million directions on a wild goose chase," he agreed as he finished setting up a workbench to fix his new light saber. He had cleared a room in the back of the apartment to use as training and meditation room. It had few windows but lots of floor space.

The workbench Padme had ordered for him ahead of their arrival remembering how much he loved to tinker with droids and gadgets. Padme watched him, curiosity getting the better of her. She wanted to see how a lightsaber was built but at the same time she wondered if this was something a Jedi should do in private. Anakin smiled enjoying her curiosity.

"I could use an extra hand…I only have one," he teased. Padme rolled her eyes but laughed in spite of herself. She sat next to him on the bench.

"Did I ever tell you about Professor Huyang?" Anakin asked as he began to sort the pieces he needed. She shook her head and listened as Anakin told her about going to search for his kyber crystal on Ilum. He much he had enjoyed taking shop with their only droid Professor. He tried not to dwell on the strange looks the other kids gave him. He was the only one among them who already had a Jedi mentor. He both retrieved his crystal before the rest of his class and completed his saber first. Obi-Wan had been proud of him and Professor Huyang had been impressed but the other kids… not so much.

She helped a little passing him a tool or helping him hold something as he told his story. She listened to his story noting the sadness tinged with an undertone of bitterness here and there. She realized that Anakin's life with the Jedi had always been hard and lonely. His story didn't make any mention of his classmates. As a child she remembered him as a very social and friendly boy but why didn't his classmates figure in his story?

'Why was he alone? He couldn't have been that different?' she asked herself. But she thought about what the so-called journalists of Coruscant said about Jedi being arrogant – always looking down at people. Had there been some truth to it? Had the other kids treated Anakin like an outcast because he wasn't raised in the temple? She realized this must've been the case. How else but a certain sense of superiority could've blindsided the Jedi? Sabe and Tonra knocked on the doorframe.

"Padme, everything is unpacked," Sabe announced from the door to Anakin's work/meditation room. Padme smiled and beckoned her friends forward.

"Eirtae and Rabe will be here next week with the new Gungan representative, Senator," Tonra added, JarJar had decided to retire, life in politics and war had proven too much for the simple minded Gungan. Padme smiled and thanked them.

"Hey, you guys wanna stick around for a bit and help me out?" Anakin asked as he soldered a piece of the casing.

"I'm helping Anakin rebuild his saber," Padme explained. Sabe was reluctant to intrude on their quiet moment. Sensing this Anakin looked up with a mischievous smirk.

"I could use a few extra hands," he pointed to his stump "I'm a little short," he added with a grin. Tonra and Anakin laughed heartily as Padme and Sabe groaned deeply. But they joined Anakin and Padme. He was now explaining the basics of lightsaber mechanics.

"You have to make sure the emitter is in the right way, that's very important," he explained solemnly.

"What happens if it's not right?" asked Tonra.

"Boom! It blows you up!" Anakin replied with a grin, winking at Padme recalling how he had once described the tracking device in his body. She rolled her eyes.

"There's no end to the bad jokes, is there? Poor Ahsoka!" she replied. Anakin laughed.

"Rex is the one you should feel sorry for! Ahsoka was just as much a pain as I was! More sometimes!" he laughed. Tonra passed him a tool as Anakin shared anecdotes of the little pranks he and Ahsoka would play on poor Rex. They chatted and laughed as Anakin instructed each person on how to prep each piece of his new saber.

"He did love that kid though," he concluded with a nostalgic sigh. He began to pull Obi-Wan's old saber apart now but stopped as he looked at Obi-Wan's crystal. It was green. He remembered that the crystal's color depended partly on the disposition of the Jedi who found it. Obi-Wan's was green like Master Quigon's because they were more knowledge seekers than enforcers. He was considered more of an enforcer; his crystal turned a pure blue when he found it because of his desire to protect people.

"You know, every youngling who takes part in the Gathering on Ilum has to face their fears. Mine was being alone," he confessed. Padme put a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at them, he was not alone. The smile on Padme and the resolute looks on Sabe and Tonra ratified that.

"I've been thinking that maybe Ahsoka was right to leave. Maybe I could have restored balance and saved the Jedi if I had gone with her. But I was afraid to let go," Anakin explained looking at the crystal.

"You think you might have been able to save them from the outside? Sort of a different perspective kind of thing?" Tonra asked.

"Yes! A different point of view… What if removing myself had let me see better?" Anakin wondered looking at Obi-Wan's crystal pondering what would happen if he touched. Would it change color? What if it didn't? How would he explain it being green instead of blue? But those questions seemed trivial as the bigger "what if" swirled in his mind.

"Sometimes you do need to step away from a problem to get a fresh look at it. Often you learn something you missed because you were too close to it before," Sabe pointed out with a thoughtful look. He looked around at his new little family unit. For the first time he felt…understood! Among the Jedi he had always felt like an outsider. The chancellor – now Emperor – forcing him onto the council made things worse.

"So are you saying that you are finally ready to let go Anakin," Padme asked. He smiled; he had never had a conversation like this among his peers in the Order. There was no judgment in them. It felt liberating!

"I'm convinced that I am not the Chosen one…at least not anymore. But I have to be ready to protect the Chosen one when he arrives. I will protect who I can and let go when I have to," he thought and pulled out Obi-Wan's crystal. For a second he could feel Obi-Wan's mind full of sorrow and pain. He felt Ahsoka, she was lonely and sad but he knew both were safe. He resisted the temptation to reach out and let them know everything was gonna be ok. He would wait, one day they would meet again. He was sure of this! He closed his hand around the crystal.

'For now I have to let both of you go and follow my own path,' he thought. He felt now Master Qui-Gon's presence as his voice full of pride filled his mind.

'_Well done Anakin_,'

He opened his palm and smiled showing Padme, Sabe and Tonra the result of his test. The crystal was now blue.

"Cool," said Tonra awed.

"You think that's cool! Just wait! Now I have to put it together," Anakin replied cheerfully. He could feel their excitement as he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. The pieces floated up and lined themselves up perfectly. They practically held their breaths amazed that Anakin wasn't looking but the lightsaber pieces were clicking together in all the right places. Anakin opened his eyes and reached out to take hold of the finished saber.

_snap – hiss_

The blue blade came to life and to Anakin's pleasant surprise Sabe, Tonra and Padme clapped. He could feel the surge of hope in his little family as the blade lit the room. A shiver in the Force sent him a warning a few seconds before Tonra's comm beeped. One of Padme's other guards let her know that a summons for Anakin had arrived. The Emperor was inviting him to see him. He felt the surge of anger and concern from his new family.

"It's alright everyone. I'm ready for this test," Anakin said to them. They all looked at him, blue blade glowing in the dusky room and their anger became hope once more… and determination!

Padme had helped him dress but not in Anakin's Jedi robes. He wore a Naboo Royal suit – one of many Padme had commissioned for her – it was blue and silver brocade shirt with a navy blue and silver embroidered vest with matching blazer, matching navy blue pants and very shiny black boots perfectly tailored to him. The sleeve on his right arm had been left short and was closed at the end to protect the still sensitive stump. A matching navy half cape covered the missing arm.

"The Emperor's advisor is here, General," Tonra announced very solemnly over the comm.

"I'm on my way," he replied looking at Padme. He kissed her deeply, trying somehow to physically reassure her that he would return to her.

"Here, take care of this for me. I won't need it," he said handing Padme his saber. She shook her head alarmed.

"No Anakin! You need this! It could save your life!"

"You are my life, Padme. I will return to you. Trust me," he replied. Padme reluctantly took it struggling between wanting to be supportive and being scared for her husband's life. She kissed him fiercely once more.

"You better be back here before dinner!" she ordered him.

"Yes milady," replied and offered his arm to his wife.

The two walked out to the foyer where Mas Amedda stood flanked by a few of those new Imperial Stormtroopers. In the years he had frequented Palpatine's offices, Mas Amedda had been solemn but very solicitous towards Anakin. Now as Anakin shuffled towards him, exaggerating the injury to his leg, the Chagrian looked down his nose at Anakin.

"Good Evening _General_ Skywalker. You certainly have looked better," Mas Amedda greeted. He felt more then saw Padme restrain herself from saying something scathing at the Chagrian's condescending greeting. He was moved by how offended Padme and her entire staff were on his behalf. Anakin chuckled good-naturedly.

"War leaves us warriors with scars. But you look quite well Vizier Amedda. No scars on you at all!" Anakin remarked cheerfully. The Vizier clenched his jaw in anger at Anakin's jab. Anakin was a hero after all – even the Empire acknowledged that and Amedda was just a toady who always cowered and hid when things got rough. He didn't like Anakin reminding him of it.

"Weapons are not allowed in the Emperor's presence! You will need to leave your weapon here," Mas Amedda ordered with barely restrained contempt. Anakin smiled but Padme thrust Anakin's saber hilt in front of her.

"His saber is staying here! The war is over isn't it?" Padme shot back at him. The two stared each other down. Anakin barely managed to keep a straight face as Amedda turned away from Padme's glare. His wife was a force to be reckoned with! He was so proud of her.

"_Cowards are those who serve the dark side"_

Anakin felt Master Qui-Gon's reassuring presence and knew it was time. He stepped forward with the Vizier who in a condescending tone told him he could bring one of his guards to help him walk. Tonra stepped forward immediately, his calm face showing nothing of how deeply offended he was by Mas Amedda's tone.

"You might consider a cane, General," he added in a mocking tone. Tonra bristled as his fist clenched but Anakin laughed.

"Or maybe a staff like yours! But maybe they only make those for old people?" Anakin countered as he leaned on Tonra. Tonra covered a chuckle in a light cough offering his shoulder as support. Padme smirked proudly as she stepped up to kiss her husband goodbye…

Arriving in the Emperor's palace Anakin suddenly felt an oppressive weight on his chest. He leaned heavily on his friend Tonra whose face was calm but Anakin could tell he was on edge. Tonra walked him to the lift that would take him to the Emperor's throne room. He had been at this place a million times but never had he felt such an aura of darkness. The dark side was so thick it was hard to breath. Tonra was forced to stay behind at the door to the lift. Anakin would ride the lift alone to the top. As the lift door closed he began to panic.

'Oh no! Luke and Leia! He's gonna figure out what happened! I shouldn't have come!' his brain awhirl with fear he forced himself to calm down and reach out to the Force. It came to his aid in the form of one image: Little Kani Skywalker on his bier. Grief became a bubble of light around him pushing back the darkness.

"_Remember Anakin, the Sith's weakness is their arrogance. The Emperor will only see what he wants to see_,"

'Right! He only brought me here to confirm his victory! He wants to see me broken by grief so he can feel secure in the knowledge that I am no threat to him,' Anakin reasoned. He knew Luke and Leia would be safe because Anakin was going to give the Emperor exactly what he wanted. As the lift opened, he was ready to put on a show. His mind filled with the memory of little Kani…

"Come my friend…I've been expecting you," the Emperor's ominous raspy voice sent a shiver down Anakin's spine. The Emperor smiled at Anakin, seeing the young man broken by grief pleased him immensely. His grief poured out of him in waves, the loss of his son had hit him so hard Palpatine doubted he would ever recover. But he needed to be sure, so he left his lightsaber out in the open where Anakin could reach it.

"Do you see what the Jedi have done to us my dear boy?" he began looking as old and feeble as possible, trying to tempt Anakin into attacking him by making himself as easy a target as possible. But Anakin didn't even look at the saber on the desk. He looked down at his feet as he nodded and shuffled forward falling heavily into the chair Palpatine offered him. Part of him was disappointed, Anakin once promised to be such a powerful apprentice now the Force was very weak in him.

'I wasted so much time on him! Pathetic!' he thought annoyed wanting to be rid of him quickly. Anakin, in a solicitous and grief stricken tone, expressed how glad he was that Palpatine was alright. He tolerated Anakin for a few minutes longer trying to make sure that the boy was not going to be a threat to him.

But after questioning him the Emperor realized Anakin could not remember what happened in his office during his duel against Master Windu. He confessed, choking on tears that he had only been thinking of saving Padme's life. That his only motivation for trying to save Palpatine was for the power he needed to save Padme.

"But that doesn't matter now…it wasn't Padme…" he stopped and the Emperor resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Anakin choked back a sob. He pretended to be the caring and sympathetic friend but he had gotten everything he needed out of Anakin Skywalker. He even learned that Anakin's injuries prevented him from fathering any more children. He would verify all of this of course; his agent on Naboo would be bringing him the proof that Skywalker's son was dead and a full account of Anakin and Padme's injuries.

'Skywalker is no threat…he will never be one ever again!' he thought eagerly. He soon dismissed his friend and waited until he shuffled slowly and painfully towards the lift. He cackled evilly as his well laid plans had born fruit. Anakin had been his top choice for his new apprentice but he was far from his only choice. He would decide what to do about him after people had forgotten the "Hero without Fear".

He had projects underway that just might give him the new apprentice he needed. His comm beeped, it was his servant caring for the hidden Sith meditation rooms he used during his days as Chancellor Palpatine. He had used it primarily for his secret meetings with Count Dooku. He had an apprentice project there that started last year. He had not been able to check up on that project and had actually forgotten about it in the hustle and bustle of his grand victory.

"My lord, the girl has given birth to a boy as you predicted. But the child's midicholorian count is extremely low, the experiment is a failure," a dark figure reported. Palpatine sneered annoyed that yet another project for an apprentice had failed; but he was never the kind of guy to put all his eggs in one basket.

"Kill her and the infant. Make sure there is no trace of their existence," he ordered calmly. He turned off his holo-communicator his mind already on his next scheme…

-0-

-0-

"As ordered my lord," the servant bowed deeply as the Emperor's image disappeared. He did not see the girl behind him, just out of sight listening to his every word. She had been forced from her family at a young age and sold to slavers. She had ended up in this place after years of hardship where she was well fed and cared for. But the girl hated this place more than any of the mines or salvage yards she had ever been forced to live through. It was a cold evil place!

She found herself pregnant one morning not long after arriving, she had no recollection of engaging in any sexual activities but she had seen the lab and the clinical equipment. It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened to her. But she played dumb, all the while making her plans. She looked down at the tiny boy wrapped securely against her chest. He opened his eyes briefly and snuggled up against her.

She was suddenly filled with determination and love for the tiny person in her arms. She pulled up the blaster she took from the droid guard she deactivated. She snuck carefully towards the Emperor's man and as he turned around put a bolt in his brain. She quickly scavenged through his clothes looking for any valuables.

'Score!' she crowed to herself. She found the tracker for the chip in her body. She knew her baby did not have a chip as the med droids hadn't gotten around to it yet. Her baby was only a couple days old and she knew he was put inside her in hopes he would be an heir to the creepy man who called to check on her. She took some rings off the guy and a heavy looking gold necklace. She rummaged around the guy's desk and found some credits, enough to get her off world.

There were so many people fleeing the new Galactic Empire that it was easy to get lost in the crowds. No one looked for a slave who wasn't supposed to exist. It took a few days but after years of being traded and sold she set foot once more on her home world of Jakku. She breathed in the super hot air of her home and smiled. She used the cash from her sale of the jewels and the blaster to acquire a small ancient speeder and a stake in a little moisture farm.

'We'll have a good life here,' she thought smiling at her tiny baby.

And a good life she did live with her son.

The years went by with relative peace. Interrupted slightly only once when the war against the Empire was conclusively decided on Jakku's orbit and the New Republic emerged triumphant. The baby boy grew to be a good but simple man. Thirty years had passed since the day of his mother's daring escape when he met a nice woman, they married and had a little girl. The man smiled as he held his tiny daughter. His wife and his mother smiled at him.

"Hello little one, we are going to call you: Rey…" he said his heart full of love and hope for the future…

* * *

So I know this is a short chapter but hopefully I will get the next one going soon. Thanks for reading everyone!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

Obi-Wan looked out at the vast expanse of the dune sea, from high on a rocky mesa where his new home stood. He had been here about month now. It took him a couple of weeks to reach Tatooine and another couple of days to reach the Lars farm. Beru and Owen Lars had been ecstatic to take Luke in. Beru could not have her own children and they were thinking of adopting. The recent death of Owen's father Cliegg made Luke's arrival a joy to the couple.

However, when he tried to visit little Luke yesterday Owen let him know that Luke was not to be involved in any Jedi non-sense!

"_Not while I'm alive! I'll protect Luke from the Hutts, the Tuskens, the Empire and from you if I have to! Anakin would still be alive if he had stayed on Tatooine and not gotten involved in your damn wars!_"

Owen had been forceful to say the least. Beru let him see Luke but she made it very clear she felt the same. Their love for Luke was great! Obi-Wan was happy for that and Padme would be happy about that too. At first he had felt guilty for telling them Padme was dead too but seeing how much they loved Luke he realized it was better that he be the only one to bear the burden of the secret of Leia and Padme's existence. He thought it best they not have to lie to Luke.

Obi-Wan could have pushed them to be in Luke's life but he felt now was not the right time to press the Lars family. They had lost so much. He could understand their grief so he would be patient. In the meantime he would trust in the Force! He would stay away and wait for Luke to find his way to him.

But standing here alone watching the twin suns set he felt the cold dagger of grief and loneliness more sharply than ever. Padme's pain-filled cries in the med bay as she gave birth to the children she should have been able to love and nurture haunted him. The image of Anakin in that bier stuck to his mind day and night.

It wasn't just his death that plagued him. Arriving with Master Yoda at the Temple to find the blaster bolt riddle bodies of his fellow masters had been tough. But tougher still was to find all the little bodies. The padawans - who had probably not had their lightsabers for very long - lying beside their masters. All the younglings simply cut down in their sleep!

He closed his eyes and cleared his mind, reaching out to the Force. As his body relaxed he saw something in the Force – a brief image of Ahsoka – sneaking through back alleys safe and anonymous. His heart rejoiced! He resisted the temptation to reach out to her and call her through the Force. It would give her away he was sure so he retreated from the vision. Like him, she would wait for the moment when she could join with the new hope that would rise one day. He was certain of that!

And as he let go of the vision he felt something else in the Force tug at him, something that had led him to the vision of Ahsoka. The one thing that connected them both!

'Anakin!' he thought joyfully 'I should have known you would watch over your son!' That confidence… that cockiness! That could only be his former padawan. It was just a flicker in the Force. Anakin – like Master Qui-Gon – had joined the Force but while their physical presences were gone, their spirits were still here with him.

'And they are going to be with me as long as the Force is with me,' he thought, feeling at peace for the first time in weeks. He felt his old Master's presence as well reassuring and proud, pleased that Obi-Wan had mastered his grief. Padme and Leia would be alright, he could feel it from his connection to his old master.

'And someday Luke and I will join them,' Obi-Wan knew. Owen could hide Luke away for now, but one day Luke would go in search of his destiny. Obi-Wan would make sure he was there ready to guide him…

* * *

-0-

* * *

Anakin kissed Padme and got up out of their bed. He didn't bother to put his clothes on to go to the fresher. Not having to run off in the middle of the night back to the Temple was liberating. If there was a bright side to the Empire, it was that he would never be forced by his obligations to the Order to leave his beloved Padme so immediately after making love to her. He hated rushing off.

Propping her head up on one arm Padme watched him walk toward the fresher in the dimly lit room. Every muscle in his body as he moved was perfectly toned. His convalescence had taken nothing away from his well-honed physique. The limp was almost completely gone and the milky white film that clouded his right eye had begun to fade the instant he came home from his interview with the Emperor. His eye was practically healed now.

The stump of his right arm still had burn scars from the attack in the Emperor's office but he could move it now and the loss of his arm didn't seem to slow him down. He didn't even seem to need the arm. She felt a little girly disappointment as the door of the fresher opened then closed behind him and she drummed her fingers on the bed impatiently waiting for him to come back out so she can continue admiring his…shoulders…

"How he fell for it is beyond me!" Padme insisted for the umpteenth time since his triumphant return from the Emperor's palace. Anakin chuckled as he made his way back to their bed.

"His over-confidence is his weakness," Anakin replied as he had several times already. He smirked amused as he got back into the bed, kissing his wife as he reached out with the Force and pulled her towards him.

"I'm sorry that I worried you," he said propping himself up on his left arm. She kissed him softly.

"I think the worst is over," Padme replied feeling like the nightmare was starting to ebb. Their long wait had just begun but as long as they were together they would be alright.

"We will wait for the new hope to rise. But we will not be helpless or idle," he added and kissed her deeply. His strength once more surrounded her and she relished his passion as it ignited the fire between them. Padme pushed him down to straddle him. He smiled and just let her have her way. This was her time…

* * *

Almost a month had passed since they arrived on Coruscant. The Emperor had lost interest in Anakin within a week of his arrival. It became obvious when the emperor's spies had stopped following him. They thought they had stayed out of Anakin's radar, but they were wrong. He made sure they had nothing to report to the Emperor though.

The gungan representative – a young gungan female by the name of Jaya Klim – had joined Padme and her staff. The girl had been extremely polite, charming and deferential. She was intellectually gifted too. But Anakin had seen through her instantly and made damn sure Padme and her friends were aware! She resented Padme and the Naboo – and she had a deep lust for power. The Emperor's plan became obvious.

'Divide and conquer! He means to stoke once more the distrust and resentment between the Naboo and the Gungans,' he realized, angry that all of Padme's hard work to bring the two peoples together was being sabotaged by Palpatine's greed. He remembered Sabe said someone had hacked their medical records on Naboo. He had been careful to alter the memory of the med droid that had performed a vasectomy on him to protect Luke and Leia – and any other children they might want to have one day. He was willing to bet the young gungan was an agent of the Emperor.

Today he had gotten up early as he always did. He helped get breakfast on the table and listened intently as Padme, Eirtae, Sabe and Rabe discussed the agenda for the senate floor. Their faces were neutral but Padme and the other women's frustrations were palpable. The senate was a sham! Last week a planetary government had put in a bid to be considered as a base for one of the Empire's new military academies. However, they were once a separatist planet. The planet's economy had suffered in the war and the academy would have benefited the population.

The proposal the planet put forth passed on the senate floor but the Emperor had produced some report of rebel insurgents on the planet and instead had sent a fleet to bomb most of the planet into rubble then take over all the businesses of the planet. The population was essentially slaves to the Empire now. Life in the Empire looked grim for anyone who had not been licking the Emperor's boots since before he became the Emperor.

He hugged his wife and kissed her goodbye but he felt deeply troubled. It wasn't just the senate that troubled Padme now. Over the last few days she had been waking from terrible nightmares. In those nightmares he stayed dead but to add to it their children were dead, so was Obi-Wan, Bail Organa, Sabe and Tonra. It was hard to watch her weep so deeply. He needed to do something but didn't know what yet.

He started his day the same way he started most days - by doing some lightsaber training. Lightsaber fighting with only one arm threw off his balance so it was a little like re-learning how to fight. It really didn't take him long to recapture his proficiency though. He took a break late in the morning to join Padme in her office for lunch but realized right away why Padme had insisted he avoid the senate building. It took him nearly an hour just to get through the new security checkpoints even though Padme made sure he was listed as part of her staff.

As he walked towards her office he noticed some senators and staffers would go out of their way to say hello to him. Others disappeared so quickly into their offices he was sure they were avoiding him. Some greeted him in a nervous, almost frightened way. He was not sure what to make of it. He wondered if they really bought the propaganda about the Jedi being evil. From his new understanding of his fellow Jedi - he knew they were naive and perhaps too proud but they were not evil. He decided to put it out of his mind for now as he entered Padme's office.

They had a cheerful lunch interrupted only once by Bail Organa. The first meeting with Bail when he and Padme returned to Coruscant had been a bit awkward for Anakin but Bail was a master diplomat. It was hard not to become friends with the man right away. He had stopped by to let Padme know he was heading back home to Alderaan. It was time for another ceremony for Leia. It never ceased to amaze Anakin to see how devoted Bail was as a father. He was grateful for it but it didn't stop him from missing his little daughter every day.

"You know, when you're ready for that honeymoon trip, there is a beautiful lake down near Apenza peak popular with newlyweds. Breha and I would love to have you over," Bail invited courteously. It took everything in Anakin not to jump out of his chair and take him up on his offer. He desperately wanted to meet his little daughter!

"Thank you Bail. That's very kind but I don't think we'll be going on any holidays for a while," Padme replied looking sad and tired. Anakin frowned; she would need a break soon he was sure. The same tired and sad look flitted over Bail's eyes for a moment.

"The offer stands," he insisted with a sad smile. Anakin got up out of his chair then and shook Bail's hand.

"And we will take it...maybe not today but soon!" Anakin assured him. Bail smirked knowing that as husbands of hard working, powerful women, it fell to them to make sure they took breaks. It was something they could bond over! He said goodbye sounding cheerful again saying he'd be back in a few days.

"You are incorrigible," Padme sighed forgoing the lecture about how dangerous it was to go near them so soon. She was tired and stressed and part of her really did want to see Leia again. He came around her desk to say goodbye.

"I might be late tonight. I have a meeting with Senator Bonteri. I want to introduce him to some of my allies in the Senate," Padme let him know tiredly. She had been trying to clear her schedule to meet with Lux. Mina Bonteri – Lux's mother – had been a close friend and though Anakin had disagreed with Mina's views of the Republic during the war – he now wished he had paid more attention and not seen things quite so black and white.

"I'll keep your dinner warm then," Anakin promised as he kissed his wife goodbye.

"I hope that's not the only thing you'll keep warm for me," she teased seductively. He chuckled.

"Of course not milady," he replied and kissed her once more.

He ran into Mon Mothma on his way out of Padme's office. She offered her condolences for his loss. But Anakin could tell that while polite and sympathetic, she and the other senators with her were eager to get away from him. It finally hit him why the senators were acting strange! Up until very recently he was very deep in Palpatine's confidence and had been a strong and very public supporter of his policies and his power.

It had strained his marriage and caused Padme's friends to distance themselves from him. Mon Mothma was likely to be part of Bail's plans to oppose the Emperor but unlike Bail she had no reason to trust Anakin. He would have to work hard to earn their trust if he wanted to help them return democracy to the galaxy.

'Bail trusts Padme and vice versa that's why he trusts me. But her other allies have no reason to,' he thought sadly as he made his way out of the senate building, seeing with fresh eyes the motives behind the way the senators and their staff greeted him on the way out.

He put all of that out of his mind as he finally reached his speeder, promising himself to meditate on the problem later. He tried to keep his thoughts on the good moments as he slogged through Coruscant traffic back to their apartment but his mind now came back to Padme's nightmares.

'She feels helpless!' He realized. Bail had been acting distracted and missing Senate meetings. People were attributing it to being a new parent. Anakin thought this was true seeing Bail's devotion to fatherhood for himself, but only partially. Bail was not likely to let his little daughter look forward to living her entire life under imperial rule.

Anakin knew he was not going to do that either! But he didn't have Bail's resources – he needed a different way to contribute especially if he was going to earn the trust of Padme's senate allies.

'I also need to figure out how to help Padme,' he drove past his apartment and continued on a little aimlessly, letting the Force control his destination. He ended up parking a few blocks from the Temple. He walked towards it knowing that the Force had some knowledge for him to glean there. As he approached he noticed there were a lot of stormtroopers in the area but Anakin was a master at sneaking in and out of the Jedi Temple.

He managed to avoid all the patrols. He pulled the scarf he was wearing up to cover part of his face and pulled the hood of his cloak down close but actually removed the eye patch he used to cover up that his eye was healed. He pulled his arms deep into the cloak. If there were imperial surveillance cameras in the temple, his missing arm and the eye patch would give him away. He managed to get in with little difficulty through a maintenance worker entrance.

He quietly snuck around corridors. The dark side of the Force infected every area where his Jedi brethren had suffered and died. His heart clenched in grief and pain hearing the echoes in the Force of the children who screamed as their protectors fell then they were gunned down. He forced himself to go from corridor to corridor hoping against hope that someone other than he and Obi-wan and Yoda had survived. Guilt gnawed at him as he wondered if this was his fault!

'Should I have waited? Should I have called and talked to Master Yoda instead of going to Master Windu? Should I have called Obi-Wan? Could I have prevented this if I had been patient?' he asked himself as he tiptoed from floor to floor. He picked up random bits of gear here and there, filling his back pack while avoiding the construction droids and the troops trying to sort and clear the debris.

He was careful to make sure he just looked like a common thief to any surveillance equipment in the temple. He smirked in dark satisfaction as he saw construction droids using drills and heavy demolition equipment to get through doors any Jedi – even the youngest child – could've just walked through.

'The temple is still putting up a fight! Good!' he thought as he looted around a construction droid that was crushed when a portion of the library collapsed on it. He scored a lightsaber half buried in the rubble. The hilt casing was partially crushed but the crystal was intact. The crystal was yellow which meant it was either Master Nu's saber or it belonged to the Temple guardians. Yellow was the color of the knowledge seekers and the Temple guardians.

Anger and grief warred inside of him and he struggled to keep himself from attacking the troops in the temple. He would put Padme and her allies in danger if he was caught fighting here. He would endanger the secrecy that protected Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and his children. He kept reminding himself of that as he ran into a pair of clonetroopers who were talking of how annoying their Jedi commander had been and how glad they were that the guy was dead.

"What a sanctimonious idiot?! I'm glad I don't have to deal with him anymore! Just wish I could have killed his stupid smuggler friend and her crew! Rhymes with Orange! What a stupid name for a ship!" the clone complained. Anakin made a mental note of the name of the ship. A Jedi sacrificed himself to help a smuggler escape…that smuggler and her crew might be some help to the rebellion he was sure Padme and her allies were going to start.

"What a stupid name for anything you mean! What did you do with the kid?" asked the other trooper as he chuckled. Anakin leaned in a little from his hiding spot high in the rafters to hear better what the troopers talked about.

"We were going to execute her too but we got a message to capture the padawan and take her to Mustafar with the ones we took from here," the first trooper said. Anakin's eyes went wide! There were living padawans who hadn't escaped like Ahsoka! Padawans probably being tortured and humiliated for whatever dark agenda the emperor had! He struggled again with his rage. He wanted to land down on their heads and strike them down for what they did. But he couldn't afford to think like that! He needed to figure out how to find that padawan and rescue her.

'I need to get back to Padme! We have to get to Mustafar!' he thought as he took slow soft breaths waiting for the soldiers to leave.

"Did you hear about that Master? I hear she might have some Jedi kids hidden. Those new guys are working her over trying to find out where she hid them," said the first soldier as they began to walk away. Again Anakin slowed his breathing and stealthily followed them along the rafters. There were multiple Jedi captured and who knew how many younglings in danger! He needed to do something now! He reached deep into the Force concentrating on the soldier's mind.

"Where was this master taken?" he whispered.

"I guess she was taken to Mustafar with the others," the first soldier said, easily responding to Anakin's Force suggestion. The other shrugged both soldiers completely unaware of Anakin's presence.

"Who cares? They're all gonna die anyways. It's a waste of time to catch them. They never say anything before they die," the second soldier replied and Anakin released the first soldier sending him a suggestion to agree. Anakin forced himself to wait until they were gone before he dropped back down to the corridor and hurried to the exit.

He reached his speeder after a long and circuitous route. He took off the robe and scarf he was wearing and dumped it in a trash bin. He had to make sure no one - or nothing - was following him. He also took his time getting back to the apartment. He needed to go somewhere to be seen so he could justify his long absence. The troops at the Senate residences still reported the comings and goings of the senators and anyone who lived with them.

He went to the market and took his time browsing the stalls and being randomly generous with some of the merchants and talking to shoppers there so they would remember him. He finally made it home as the sun was setting with fresh flowers and some hair ornaments for Padme. He arrived mere minutes before Padme did. She seemed a little less frustrated than usual.

He kissed her and he was glad that she loved the flowers and the trinkets. He listened as she gave him a rundown of her day. It was the usual nonsense but she was glad that Lux Bonteri was looking like he was going to be able to settle right into the world of politics with the same aplomb his mother had shown in her days as a Republic senator. He waited patiently until the household staff was gone and the maintenance droids left the apartment.

"So you haven't told me about your day Anakin," Padme asked but as he looked in her eyes he knew she wasn't buying the banal answer he had given before. He looked around the table as Eirtae, Rabe, Sabe and Tonra watched him expectantly. Not all that long ago he would've been too proud and stubborn to ask for help. But he was not the same Anakin he had been during the war. It had only been a couple months but it seemed like another life ago!

"I went to the Jedi temple," he said softly. He waited for the worried reprimands from his reckless little adventure that should have come from his new family but nothing came. They waited patiently for him to continue.

"And?" Padme prompted patiently putting her hand over his. With a sigh of relief he recounted every single detail of his impromptu heist in the temple.

"Bail told me he tried to rescue a boy trying to escape from the temple. The troopers shot him to rags before he could reach Bail's speeder…" Padme explained as Anakin recalled the echoes in the Force of the dying children. Eirtae and Rabe wiped angry tears from their faces, muttering of the utter horror in murdering children.

"They didn't kill all the children," he continued grief making him stutter for a second.

"The Emperor took them alive," Sabe put in horror-stricken exchanging horrified looks with the rest of the people on the table. Padme wrapped both her hands around Anakin's. He held on to her hand like a life line! If he let go he would drown in his sorrow and get lost in anger. He recounted what he had learned from the trooper. They listened in shocked silence.

"I was careful getting back to my speeder. I went to the market and made myself recognized by some troopers – not clones – just some of those new stormtroopers. I smiled for a few holos," he concluded letting out a ragged breath. No one said anything. The idea that children were being captured to be tortured and murder by the Emperor was horrifying! It was Tonra who broke the silence.

"Alright, so when are we going to Mustafar?" he asked. His calm tone belied the rage that simmered underneath the man's calm face. He had watched two women he cared about suffer without being able to help. He buried a brother in arms; his new friend lost nearly everyone he ever knew. He was tired of losing! Anakin smiled at the man sitting across from him grateful for his support.

"Right! We have to do this! I watched the Senate floor applaud the destruction of the Jedi! We're not getting any help from them!" Padme agreed vehemently.

"I don't trust myself to make the plan. Because of the way I feel I'm afraid of doing something reckless," Anakin added feeling relieved and happy that they had seen the need in his heart to find those children.

"We can't all of us go. It would be suspicious," Sabe pointed out.

"Right! Especially with our little sneaky spy skulking about," Rabe pointed out, reminding them of Jaya's insincerity.

"But we can use her for our cover!" Padme exclaimed with a wild excited look in her eyes. She got up and began to pace as she asked Anakin questions about the troopers he had overheard and recalling Anakin had once been to Mustafar.

"I'll pull up what I can find about the systems around Mustafar and see what we can use. There is a resort on Bespin I sold some art to a while back…I feel like it was near there because it sounds familiar…" Eirtae trailed off grabbing hers, Rabe's, Sabe's and Padme's data pads from the office and coming back as Sabe asked him questions about Mustafar. Anakin recounted his adventure with Ahsoka when they rescued a pair of force sensitive infants kidnapped by the bounty hunter Cad Bane.

"Dooku had contracted him to kidnap them…for what we never knew! The whole facility began to fall into the lava as soon as we landed," Anakin explained that he and Ahsoka barely made it out with the two children. Tonra already had his data pad and he was standing next to Anakin. A file on Mustafar's mining enterprises already pulled up on his pad.

"That means we have to get in and out without being seen," Tonra advised solemnly, Sabe agreed. She pointed out they were going to need fire resistant gear and started to build a list of the things they would need. Anakin let her know he picked up some things from the temple. He went to his meditation room to retrieve his bag full of temple loot.

He pulled out all the contents and laid them out on the dining table. He was surprised by what he picked up!

"So like how did you know we would need this stuff?" Tonra asked impressed as he picked up a very high capacity code slicing data pad. Anakin opened his mouth to answer.

"A Jedi is guided by the Force, right love?" Padme replied for him. Anakin smiled and nodded. He had done it unconsciously but he had collected nearly everything he needed for this mission! Including pieces he could use to build himself a new arm. The connections weren't fully healed yet but he could tell he would have some functionality in his arm.

"I trust in the Force…and I trust all of you," he said looking around at his team. They all smiled at him.

"Alright! Let's get to work!" Padme exclaimed excited…

* * *

Anakin found himself in his meditation circle in the middle of his training room late that night. He couldn't sleep. Guilt and anger roiled inside of him and he was having a hard time getting it under control. He felt Padme's presence before she walked in the room. She was worried about him.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to worry you so much Padme," he said. Padme sighed and came over to sit with him.

"When are you going to stop apologizing for everything Anakin? I'm your wife! Worrying comes with the title," she half-teased. He smiled tiredly back at her. He took a deep breath and decided to tell her about his day in the senate.

"Is that why you didn't want me to go there?" he asked.

"Anakin none of them know you like I do," she began. He smiled at her and kissed her.

"I know. You're just trying to protect me. I love you for that and so much more," He said, pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and held him tight listening to the sound of his heart beat.

"They'll come around. They will see the real you soon!" Padme added. He sighed, unable to shake his depression. Palpatine had taken everything he built from him. His career as a Jedi was gone. His accomplishments were being systematically re-written or undone to suit the Empire's agenda. His children...

"Palpatine took everything from me…" he said feeling sorrow start to turn to anger. Padme sat up then and gave him a hard look.

"First of all! He did not take everything! I am still here! Second! Our children may be gone right now but I know they will come back to us! And last if he did take something from you then I say take it back!" Padme lectured. Just like that his anger flowed away from him. He smiled at her.

"Yes! You're right! I will take it back!" he replied and kissed her deeply. They returned to their bed...

* * *

-0-

* * *

Jedi Master Cere Junda dug deep to summon the Force to her to escape the pain and exhaustion. She continued to resist the inquisitors and their interrogations. Trilla and the other children's safety depended on her holding out. If death took her so be it! At least the children would be safe. The cell was dark and she mustered a little strength to test her bonds on the interrogation table she was strapped to.

'It's no use,' she realized. She was too weak to escape. She had barely slept, she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten and she had lost all track of time. The speakers in the cell blared a high pitched squeal whenever she was alone in the cell. At first it made it difficult for her to concentrate but she had soon learned to block it out with the Force as her aid. The speakers stopped suddenly and she knew what came next. She concentrated on the Force and let her mind clear out. She had to resist!

She couldn't tell how long it had been since the speakers went silent. It was longer than usual she thought. But when the door finally opened a hunched over figure in a black hooded robe glided quietly towards her. The aura of the dark side was so thick around this man that it blocked the little light she was trying to hold on to. She had never experienced darkness like this!

"It is useless to resist my dear," the evil being said in a raspy horrid voice.

"You will give me what I want," he added and then cackled evilly. She screamed as his evil power clawed through her mind. She thought she knew pain but it was not until this moment that she truly experienced what pain could be.

'Trilla...I'm sorry…' she thought as her mind went blank...


End file.
